2022 Volvo XC40 Recharge
Volvo has finally joined the electric car market with its first fully electric model, the Volvo XC40 Recharge. A luxury EV that will go toe-to-toe with the Mercedes-Benz EQA 250, the Tesla Model 3 Long Range, and the Hyundai Ioniq 5. Not only does the car look great and ooze luxury, but it’s also ridiculously powerful and can get you from Canberra to Sydney on a single charge!
So, let’s look at why the Volvo XC40 Recharge might be the perfect car for you.
Overview
Range: 450kms
Charging time and ports:
8-10 hours with 11kW 3 phase AC fast charging/wall box for a full charge, 40 mins with DC fast charging (50–150kW). The car uses the European-standard Type 2 CCS charging port.
Battery: 78 kWh 400 V lithium-ion
Power: 150kW
Electric motor size: 60kW/160Nm
Efficiency (Vehicle consumption): 25.5kWh/100km
Acceleration: 0- 00km/h in 7.4 sec
Top Speed: 160 km/h
Torque: 330 Nm
Weight: 2023 kg
Dimensions: Length 4425 mm, width 1873 mm, height 1652 mm
Design & look
The Volvo XC40 Recharge takes its design from its non-electric predecessor, and despite the design having first been launched in 2018, it is aging very well, with the car still looking very sleek.
The Volvo XC40 Recharge is an understated and elegant car that doesn’t boast but is still striking enough to set it apart from its competition. What makes this car so desirable is the fact that everything you could ever want to add to the car already comes standard – even the paint options come at no extra cost!
The car looks all class, but don’t let that fool you. It’s also ridiculously powerful and even gives Tesla a run for its money with its dual-motor, all-wheel-drive setup. If you’ve previously driven a combustion version of the car, you’ll find it’s almost twice as powerful and can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 7.4 seconds.
It’s also the perfect car for running around town or heading out on the open road with the family, with the ride feeling firm but smooth. Cabin noise is very quiet when you’re driving around town but does become a bit noisier at freeway speeds.
Thanks to its all-wheel-drive system, it also has excellent traction with minimal body roll around corners.
The boot is slightly smaller than the combustion version at 418-litres, but you also get a ‘frunk’ at the front of the car, which adds 31L. You can place your charging kit in the underfloor space in the boot, but you’ll also find that you only get a tyre-repair kit rather than the space-saver spare for emergencies.
Oh, and if you like weekend trips to Thredbo or Perisher, you’ll also be happy to know there’s a ski port to fit your skis in the car if you’re travelling with four passengers!
Features and interior
The car’s interior feels premium with a well-proportioned dash design and luxe-feeling materials used throughout. Unlike the Tesla Model 3, you won’t have to look at the media screen to see your speed.
While the Volvo XC40 Recharge is a ‘small-SUV’, you enjoy enough cabin space for four adults, even tall ones, easily. Furthermore, no matter where you’re sitting in this car, the seats are exceptionally comfortable, making any long trips with the kids that little bit more manageable.
You get leather seats, dual-zone climate control and a Harmon Kardon audio system. The car also provides relatively large door bins to accommodate bigger drink bottles, and you’ll also find unexpectedly generous storage space for any other bits and bobs you may have.
In the backseat, you have climate control vents, pockets on the back of the front seats and, of course, charging ports to keep the kids entertained.
Performance
This car may look unassuming, but it’s got serious power! The Volvo XC40 Recharge, which is powered by a 78kWh battery pack, is one of the fastest cars in the EV market thanks to its two electric motors that drive both the front and rear wheels and can go from 0-100km/h in just 7.4 seconds.
You’re also getting decent range with the Volvo XC40 Recharge, with a full charge providing about 450kms – not quite as good as the Tesla Model 3 Long Range’s 602kms, but not bad!
Its consumption figure sits at 25.5kWh/100km, with most EVs of a similar size getting under 20, so that is something to consider. If you’re looking for something with a smaller consumption figure, the Hyundai FWD Kona Electric could be for you as that sits at 15.3kWh/100km.
The Volvo XC40 Recharge uses a European-standard Type 2 CSS charging port, and you can expect to charge the car from 10 to 80% in about 40 minutes while using maximum DC-charging speed. The more common 50kW DC charging locations will have you charged up and ready to go in an hour or so, while at home, using 11kW, you’ll be waiting around eight hours for a full charge. If you’re using a regular wall socket, it will take the car around 33 hours to fully recharge.
Charging is becoming much easier in the ACT now, thanks to ActewAGL, who is increasing the number of EV chargers on the public charging network.
Safety, warranty and technology
The Volvo XC40 Recharge comes standard with a full suite of safety features, including auto emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-keep assist with lane-departure warning, front and rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, rear auto braking, adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree parking suite and more!
However, a couple of things are missing, which is odd given Volvo is known for its safety features. This includes driver-fatigue monitoring and safe exit warning that some of its rivals do have.
That said, the car also comes with seven airbags, dual ISOFIX mounting points and carries a five-star ANCAP safety rating.
The Volvo XC40 Recharge is also covered by a five-year unlimited-kilometre factory warranty, which you don’t get with some other premium models such as Audi and BMW. The high-voltage battery components are also covered for eight years and unlimited kilometres.
You also get free servicing for the first three years or 100,000km included in the price for the car valued at $1500. You’re also covered with eight years of roadside assistance!
Technology-wise, you get a 9-inch portrait multimedia screen as standard, which uses an Android-based operating system, with an integrated SIM card and fully online Google services.
You’ll also enjoy wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless phone charger and GPS, which you can program using voice commands to enter a destination, which is always handy while you’re driving.
There’s also a reverse camera with a top-down 3D view that makes parking a breeze.
Summary
The Volvo XC40 Recharge is one of the best small SUV EVs on the market right now and also one of the most powerful, even giving Tesla a run for its money! So if you’re after an EV that you can take on long road trips or use as your family car, the Volvo XC40 Recharge is an excellent option as it’s stylish, comfortable, incredibly powerful, and a car you’ll feel very safe inside. You can’t really go wrong with this EV.
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